Can-opener.



P'. E. WILUAMS.

Batentefi Mar. 19, 1918.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY PAUL n. WILLIAMS, or TEXARKANA, TEXAS.

CAN-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application fil ed May 29, 1917. Serial No. 171,729.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL E. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Texarkana, in the county of Bowie and State of Texas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention has for itspriinary object to provide a can opener which isof a simple and durable construction, and which is easy to operate, themode of operation being such that the operator is not liable to cut hishands while opening a can with the implement.

A further object of my invention is to provide a can opener which may beformed of a single'fiat piece of metal.

With these and other objects in view which will be hereinafter morefully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, theinvention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of partsillustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification, in which: a

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a can opener embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a View in oblique perspective of a can which is in the processof being opened by the can opener.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the various views.

In the drawings 1 designates generally a can opener which is preferablyformed of a single piece of fiat metal. The can opener comprises ahandle 2 which has an extension 3 on one side thereof, said extensioncomprising the can engaging elements of the device. This extension 3extends in the plane of the handle for some distance and forms a shank4. The shank 4 has a lateral projection 5 thereon bent about the mainportion of the shank to form a rounded fulcrum surface 6. Beyond theshank 4, the extension 3 is bent downwardly substantially at a rightangle to the shank, as designated at 7 Beyond the bend 7 the extensionis arcuate in shape and forms a cutting blade 8 having a cutting edge 9formed upon the inner edge of the same. The cutting blade 8 curvesaround and terminates in an upturned sharpened point 10. The arcuatecutting blade 8 is formed helically and has the sharpened point 10disposed beyond the main portion of the cutting blade. One end of thehandle 2 is formed with a point 11 which is adapted to puncture a canprior to inserting the cutting blade therein.

In opening a can the point 11 of the handle is first engaged with thecan to puncture the same. The cutting blade 8 is then introduced. intothe hole formed in the can, and is then turned in such a direction thatthe cutting blade tends to engage itself deeper into the hole just made.The turning motion is continued and as the cutting blade 8 engagesalmost its entire length into the hole of the can the fulcrum surface 6engages the surface of the can adjacent the hole therein. The turningmotion is continued and the device fulcrums upon the surface 6.

This further turning action brings the sharpened point- 10 in contactwith the under-surface of the wall of the can some distance in advanceof the hole which has been formed therein. Upon a further turning motionbeing imparted to the implement the sharpened point 10 again puncturesthe can. The device is then turned further until that portion of thewall of the can, which intervenes between the two holes is severed bythe cutting edge 9 of the blade 8. The implement is then turned untilthe cutting blade 8 widens the opening just made so that it may befreely moved through the same. At this point the device is turned in anopposite direction until the sharpened point 10 is again below theundersurface of the wall of the can. While in this position theimplement is moved along the hole in the can so that the sharpened point10 is again positioned under the wall of the can in advance of the holeformed therein, when the implement is again turned in the direc tion inwhich it was first turned to cut another section of the can. This actionis repeated again and again until the can is opened sufficiently toremove the contents thereof.

In opening cans having thin tops it will often be found advantageous toopen the can by linear motion of the can opener in the positionillustrated in Fig. 3. It will be noted that in performing thisoperation the fulcrum surface 6 forms a shoe which rides on the edge ofthe can and takes the downward pressure, while the adjacent portion ofthe handle 2 bears against the outside of the .can to resist inwardmovement. The handle 2 is held at such an angle that the point 10 willnot come in contact with the top of the can. It will be seen that thehelical shape of the blade 8 is especially useful in this connection asit tends to draw the blade inward toward the center of the can to thedegree limited by engagement of the handle against the outside of thecan. This is desirable as the cut thereby occurs .a sufiicient distancefrom the edge to prevent contact of the blade with the solder whichoften accumulates in the corners of the can in the process ofmanufacture.

It will be noted that in the use of this device there is no chance ofthe implement slipping and the operator cutting his hand upon thesharpened edges of the can, for thecutting action of the implementrequires that a vertical stress be applied to the cutting portionsthereof. As will be noted from the above description, this stress isimparted by turning the implement upon the fulcrum surface 6, and byreason of this novel construction there is no need to hold the canfirmly down upon any fiat surface upon which the can might slip andinjury result. therefrom to the operator.

Having thus fully described my inVention, I claim:

I 1. In a device for openlng cans and the i like, the combination withthe handle and the shank on the handle, of the substantially Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for ring-shaped cutting blade on the shank,said blade having a helical form whereby in a linear cutting movementthe handle will be drawn against the edge of the can.

2. In a device for opening cans and the like, the combination with thehandle and the shank'on the handle, of the hook-shaped cutting blade onthe shank, said blade having a helical form whereby in a linear cuttingmovement the handle Will be drawn against the edge of the can, and thelateral extension on the shank, said extension doubled back under theshank to constitute a fulcrum adapted to bear against. the can when theblade is rotated in such direction that the cutting action starts at thepoint of the blade.

3. A device of the class described comprising a flat handle, a flatshank projectfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.Washington, D. 0.

whereof I afiix my signature. I

